Blackman's girlfriend granted bail, mother remains behind bars

The girlfriend of Andre ‘Blackman’ Bryan, the alleged leader of one faction of the notorious Clansman gang, was granted bail under strict conditions when she appeared in the Home Circuit Court on Friday.

The woman identified as Alicia Brown, 27, was granted bail in the sum of $1 million following an application by her attorney Oswest Senior Smith that she be released while awaiting trial.

Bryan’s mother, Millicent Brown, 53, was not so fortunate. Despite reports that her health was failing, a judge rejected her application for bail.

Bryan, the alleged gang leader, was arrested about a week before the State of Public Emergency was imposed in the St Catherine North Police Division on March 18.

He has been charged under the anti-gang legislation, with attempting to recruit an adult to join a criminal organisation, and with leading a criminal organisation.

His mother along with the female identified as Brown and other family members were also arrested and charged with being part of a criminal organization for allowing the facilitation of serious offences.

According to the police, Brown reportedly rented homes in upper St Andrew at up to US$1,500 per month at the behest of gang members who had fled the violence in St Catherine.

As part of her bail condition, she will have to stay within the confines to her home between the hours of 7:00 p.m. and 8:00 a.m.

She is also to report to the Central Kingston Police each week.

Additionally, Brown was told to take up residence in the Corporate Area and to not visit the parish of St Catherine. A stop order was placed on Brown at all ports and she was also ordered to surrender her travel documents.

Members of the police high command had told a press conference earlier this year that internal feuding in the Clansman gang led to 78 of the 134 murders committed in 2017 and 25 of the 49 committed so far in 2018 in the St Catherine North Police Division.

Police said the family members were held in an upper St Andrew community where they had been in hiding for over a year. He said they were paying US$1,500 or J$187,000 in monthly rental.

According to the police, Bryan has been in conflict with Tesha Miller, who authorities claim heads the other faction of the notorious gang.

According to Bailey, factions of the gang have been warring for the control of space, gun and extortion, and have also been implicated in contract killings in the old capital. Bailey said that the ultimate goal of the rivals is to control the space in St Catherine, especially sections where the extortion racket is “lucrative”.

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